Automatic transmissions for vehicles are being designed to with a large number of shift ranges to improve fuel economy and performance. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,029, which is incorporated herein by its entirety. The disclosed device is complicated and uses a V-shaped stopper link that is supported and rotated about a shaft. A solenoid is used to permit the rotational travel of the stopper and the selective movement of the shift lever from the to the “P” shift range to the other shift ranges under specified conditions designed to promote the safe operation of the vehicle. This design has a number of deficiencies, such as cost and complexity. Also, because of wear at the pivot point, the shift lever could be inadvertently moved out of the “P” range by the operator without energizing the solenoid. Thus, there is a need for a less complex, lower cost, more robust design that overcomes some of the deficiencies of this design. None of the prior art devices teach a solution to some of these shortcomings.
In one aspect of the present invention, a shift lever device is adapted for use in a vehicle with an activation mechanism generating a vehicle activation signal, a transmission having a plurality of shift ranges including a P shift range, a R shift range, an N shift range and a 3 D shift range and a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal. The shift lever includes, in combination, a brake activation device. A shift lever is connected to the transmission. The shift lever is operated in a longitudinal and transverse direction of the vehicle so as to be selectively moved to any one of the plurality of shift ranges to shift-operate the transmission. A brake sensor is connected to the brake activation device. The brake sensor generates a brake-indicating signal in response to sensing the operation of the brake activation device. A stop device is adjacent the shift lever. The stop device in one condition, prevents movement of the shift lever from the P shift range and in a second condition, permits movement of the shift device from the P shift range to one of the N shift range, the R shift range and the 3 D shift range. A solenoid device is connected to the stop device. The solenoid device moves the stop device so as to permit movement of the shift device between the one condition and the second condition. A biasing member urges the stop device toward the one condition. Additionally, an electronic controller device is connected to the solenoid device, the brake activation device, the activation mechanism and the vehicle speed sensor. The controller device in response to the brake indicating signal, the activation signal and the vehicle speed sensor sends a signal to operate the solenoid device so as to move the stop device from the one condition to the second condition in order to release the shift lever from the P shift range and to permit the shift lever to be selectively moved to one of the R shift range, the N shift range and the 3 D shift range.
In another aspect of the present invention, a shifter device is adapted for use in a vehicle with a housing including a portion forming a track and a transmission having a plurality of shift ranges including a P shift range, an R shift range, an N shift range and a 3 D shift range. The shift lever includes, in combination, a brake activation device. A brake sensor is connected to the brake activation device. The brake sensor generates a brake-indicating signal in response to sensing the operation of the brake activation device. A shift lever is connected to the transmission. The shift lever is operated in a longitudinal and transverse direction of the vehicle so as to be selectively moved to a plurality of shift ranges to shift operate the transmission. A stop device is disposed in the track. The track is oriented relative to the housing so that the stop device in one condition prevents the shift lever from moving out of the P shift range and in another condition permits the shift lever to move in the track into one of the N shift range, the R shift range and the 3 D shift range. Additionally, an electronic controller is connected to the stop device and the brake activation device. The controller in response to the brake-indicating signal permits the stop device to move in the track from the one condition to another condition.
In still yet another aspect of the invention, a method of controlling the shift lever of a vehicle transmission having a plurality of shift ranges including a P shift range, a R shift range, an N shift range and a 3 D shift range is disclosed. The method includes providing a brake activation device to generate an activation signal in response to sensing operation of the brake activation device. Moving the shift lever in a longitudinal and transverse direction of the shifter to select any one of a plurality of shift ranges to shift-operate the transmission. Providing a stop device in a track so that in one condition, the shift lever is prevented from moving out of the P shift range and in another condition, the shift lever is permitted to move into one of the N shift range, the R shift range and a 3 D shift range. Urging the stop device into one of an abutting position, an adjacent but spaced away position and an adjacent position with the shift lever to prevent movement out of the P shift range. Additionally, providing an electronic controller to control the movement of the stop device so that the signal from the brake activation device to the controller allows the stop device to move in the track so that the shift lever is permitted to move from the one condition to another condition.
Those skilled in the art will recognize from the foregoing disclosure and from the following discussion of certain preferred embodiments, that the novel shifter device represents a significant advance in this area of technology.
The figures referred to above are not necessarily drawn to scale and should be understood to present a simplified representation of the invention and illustrative of the basic principles involved. The novel shift device according to the present invention will have configurations and components determined, in part, by the intended application and use environment. Some features of the shift device as depicted in the accompanying figures have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened and long features shortened. References to direction and position, unless otherwise indicated, refer to the orientation of the shifter device and components illustrated in the drawings. It should be understood that shifter device could be adapted for use in any orientation for motor vehicle applications.